Page 33 of Taken By the Wolf Daddy

Ophelia’s desperation had escalated, and she now stood at the center of our group, her eyes darting between the wolves who surrounded her. She seemed torn between her desires and the realization that the pack was united against her.

Ed, my most trusted friend and second in command, stepped forward, his imposing figure making it clear that we meant business. “Ophelia, it’s time to let this go. Jesse’s made his decision, and you need to respect that.”

She turned to Ed, her face contorted with a mix of anger and sorrow. “You don’t understand. We’re meant to be together. It’s destiny.”

But Big Ed was unwavering. “Destiny doesn’t give anyone the right to hurt or threaten others. It’s time to move on. Whatever you’ve done, we can let it all go if you just leave and choose a better path. This isn’t the way forward for you.”

The tension in the air was palpable, and I prayed that Ophelia would finally see reason and choose a different path.

“No,” she snarled back. “I don’t want to explain myself to you. You wouldn’t understand true love.”

“I’m married,” Big Ed sneered.

“So then, you should understand.”

“I’m married to someone who actually wants to be with me, Ophelia. That’s the difference, here. I didn’t force anyone into anything.”

I quickly assessed the situation and knew I had to confront Ophelia alone. She was unpredictable and dangerous, and I didn’t want any of my pack members to get hurt in the process. They didn’t want to go, but they had to.

“Ed, take Lissa and get everyone to safety,” I commanded, my voice firm and resolute. He couldn’t ignore a command like this from his alpha, however much he might want to. “Find Marie, as well. I need to know that she’s safe.”

As the pack members rushed to assist Lissa, I turned my full attention back to Ophelia. She was a formidable adversary, fueled by desperation and irrationality. Our previous relationship added an extra layer of complexity to the situation, but I couldn’t let that cloud my judgment. Ophelia was a kinslayer, and she posed a grave threat not only to our Pack but to anyone who crossed her path. She was a killer, and she didn’t show any sign of slowing down. No other hiker needed to cross paths with her and end up dead.

I squared my shoulders and approached Ophelia with a determined stride. Her eyes were wild and filled with a manic intensity as she sized me up. Her obsession with me had driven her to commit unspeakable acts, and I knew that I had to put an end to her reign of terror.

“Ophelia,” I said firmly, locking eyes with her, “you need help. What you’ve done is unforgivable, and there’s no going back. But if you surrender now, we can get you the help you need. You don’t have to continue down this path of destruction. You don’t have to keep killing. None of this needs to keep happening.”

Ophelia’s response was a low growl, and she crouched, preparing to launch herself at me once more. She extended her claws and bared her teeth in a feral snarl. She seemed beyond reason, lost in a world of her own making.

I braced myself for another confrontation with Ophelia, knowing that this time, it might be the final showdown. The safety of our Pack and the people we cared about depended on me putting an end to her rampage. Once and for all.

EIGHTEEN

MARIE

I couldn’t bear the thought of leaving Jesse to face Ophelia alone, even though fear gnawed at my insides. With a determined resolve, as soon as I got to the edge of the forest and my head had cleared a little, I turned the car around and drove back to the location of the confrontation. My heart pounded in my chest, and my hands gripped the steering wheel tightly as I raced against time. As I approached the scene, I could see the pack members surrounding Jesse and Ophelia. The atmosphere was charged with tension, and I knew I needed to be cautious not to escalate the situation further.

Parking the car a safe distance away, I took a deep breath, trying to quell the trembling in my hands. My instincts urged me to rush to Jesse’s side, but I also knew I had to be careful not to provoke Ophelia any further.

I watched from a distance, ready to intervene if needed, praying that our presence would be enough to help Jesse resolve the dangerous standoff.

My heart raced as I reached out and my fingers brushed against something cold and metallic. In the dim light of the car, my eyes widened as I realized what it was–a shotgun. Panic surged through me as I tried to make sense of the situation. Why would there be a shotgun here? The ominous presence of the weapon filled me with a sense of dread, and I knew I had to handle it with extreme caution.

Carefully, I picked up the weapon, feeling its weight in my hands. I knew I needed to keep it out of reach and away from any potential danger. As I tried to figure out what to do next, my thoughts swirled with fear and uncertainty. This situation had taken a dangerous turn, and I couldn’t help but worry about Jesse and the others outside.

I clutched Jesse’s shotgun close to me as I tried to catch my breath. The other wolves were leaving, but it looked as though Jesse was telling them to do so. Why on earth would Jesse do that? Did he want to deal with this alone? That was madness.

The tension in the air was palpable as Jesse and Ophelia squared off in their fierce, wolfish forms. It was a battle of wills and strength, a confrontation that had been building for too long, and I could only hope that Jesse would emerge victorious.

My hands trembled around the shotgun’s stock as I kept a vigilant watch, ready to act if needed. The Range Rover provided a temporary shelter, but I knew it wouldn’t be enough to keep me safe if things took a turn for the worse. With the other wolves gone, I might be his only hope.

The two wolves circled each other, their movements fluid and graceful. The fight was a blur of fur, teeth, and claws, and at times, it was almost too fast for me to follow. My breath caught in my throat as they clashed with ferocious intensity, each trying to gain the upper hand.

Jesse, my father’s best friend and the man I had come to love, was fighting to protect our town, me too no doubt about it. His determination and strength were awe-inspiring, but Ophelia was no ordinary adversary. She was driven by desperation, and it was clear that she would stop at nothing to achieve her twisted goals.

I held the shotgun steady, my fingers trembling slightly on the trigger. I prayed that I wouldn’t have to use it, especially since I didn’t really know how. I hoped that Jesse would prevail in this battle of wills. Every fiber of my being longed for his safety, for a future where we could be together without fear or danger lurking in the shadows.

Then, in a sudden, heart-stopping moment, Jesse made his move. A move I definitely wasn’t expecting. With a powerful leap, he launched himself at Ophelia’s back, his jaws clamping down on her neck. The world seemed to hold its breath as they tumbled to the ground in a frenzy of fur and claws.

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